growing the family....

My family might be getting bigger by one.

I am fostering a dog. A little Jack Russell mix named Sweetie, although depending on how big she is, we might call her Itty-Bitty. It's a long-ish story, but the short of it is that a friend of some friends knows of a family on some hard times - and their dog needs a home to stay in for the interim. I figured I could handle that, as I'm already used to a small dog.

My hope is that she gets along with the cohabitational pets.

Yes, I realize that these foster situations turn into "forever homes". We'll see. Even if it turns out to be a pain in the ass, it feels like the right thing to do.

Getting back in the saddle again

So, I've gotten past a very tough week: an interview fell through, a guy I had been seeing for 6 weeks decided that he wasn't that into me - and let me know via text message, and I received a bruise the size of a large cantaloupe on my leg (unrelated to the guy).

However, this week, things are looking up. I have a few more leads on possible new jobs, and although work is still frustrating, difficult, and tense (3 people have been fired during the last week), I am feeling okay about things. I am glad to have a job right now, as I have met a lot of people who don't - so I'm thankful there. I have saved a decent amount of go-to-hell money, which always makes me feel more secure. And I just discovered that Icy/Hot pads make bruises disappear a lot faster. But ultimately, I am really thankful for my friends and family, who have all been super supportive of me during this time. You have all kept me sane (as sane as I get, anyway), and I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. That, and I still have supercute and awesome pets. There....that's as mushy as I get. Love you!

eyes welded shut

I want to curl up in a ball and spoon with my dog and cry. It's been that kind of day.

Dissed-appointment

The interview I was so excited about on Friday was canceled. I found out on Friday, right as I was about to leave for the interview, that they had given the position to another person, which was a really big disappointment. I called my contact to thank him for his time and asked him to keep me in mind if any other similar positions popped up and he said that there were a few other positions on the website I could apply to - one having the exact same title (but was with another division?). In one of his initial emails to me, he did say that he was interviewing for two positions...so I'm just left wondering - was he trying to give me the brush-off on Friday? Or is the other position really in another department working for somebody else? I applied for the other position (the exact same description, but with a different application number). We'll see what happens. It was definitely frustrating, but I suppose it shouldn't be that easy to find another job.

I also had a long time to think about it as I drove to Tennessee for a friend's wedding this weekend. Being in the car by myself for that period of time was a little maddening, but I made it.

Onward and upward.

long-haul week

Good news, I scored a job interview! Now, I already have a job, and I am thankful to have a job, but I'm looking for a better fit. However, at my current job - we are in the middle of planning/budgeting/staffing for next year - so we are jam packing our days full of analysis and meetings, meetings, meetings! I managed to fit in a very short phone interview this afternoon, so that seemed pretty amazing, considering I have been scarfing down chicken fingers while typing away at the computer screen during my lunch "break". The interview is later in the week, so perhaps I will feel less stressed then, or maybe after that I'll feel like curling up in the fetal position all weekend while listening to Ray LaMontagne. I'll do my best to keep you updated.

Seemed like a good idea at the time, Pt. 1

It was not wise to open that can of cat food while I had that bland pile of spinach souffle in my mouth. When that warm-metallic-meat scent hit my nose, it almost put me on a bus to pukey-town.

Gross.

I hate moms...

Okay, so I hate stupid Moms who blame others for their shortcomings in parenting their own children.

This weekend at the Drive-In Invasion, I pull into the parking lot, and see an empty spot next to a tent that a family has set up in a previously open parking space. As I get closer, I can see a 4 year old sitting in a yard chair very near to the parking space I am about to pull into. I keep my eye on the 4-yr-old while sloooooooowly pulling into the spot, making sure to pull in as far away from the little tyke as possible. The parents are nowhere to be found. After I pull in and turn off the ignition, the mom knocks on my window, so I roll it down.

"I would have appreciated if you had asked me to move my daughter before you pulled you car up in the space next to her!"

Me (what I actually said): "I'm sorry."

Me (what I wanted to say): "I would appreciate it if you keep an eye out on your own children and not place the responsibility of your childrens' safety into the hands of strangers in a PARKING LOT! Keep your child in the car seat while you're unloading the car! Better yet, don't bring your children to an event where people will be drinking in public all day and racing motorcycles around pedestrian areas. I'm going to slap the taste out of your mouth now."

Ultimately I went with "I'm sorry" as I realized she just wanted to be mad, and as a person who is going to yell at a reasonable person for parking in a parking lot - I had her pegged for a crazy who would probably key my car at the slightest provocation, so I went the apologetic route. Although I did say it with a "Yeah, whatever" tone - so that made me feel a bit better.

I hope I'm never a lazy, crazy mom. These are women who are just taking advantage of the situation. Maybe next time I should say something really awful and then peel out.

Yes, maybe that would educate all involved.